New to all this...

[nephthys43]

I'm just recently back from a stay at Saratoga Springs. It was wonderful! I was staying with friends of mine who are DVC members. I went to one of the presentations for DVC and I'm seriously interested. It's just me, so I'd probably only do 100 pts. I would probably travel with my friends frequently and pool points. Once in awhile, I'd take my mom on a trip since she loves Disney, too. Can you tell me the good, bad and ugly to help me decide?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

DVC is going to work best for people who are committing to annual (or every other year) Disney trips, who can preferably pay cash for their contract, and can book 11 months in advance (or at least commit by 7 months).

The DVC salespeople will have been pushing the Poly and Copper Creek, buying direct. They will cost $176 per point if you buy. However, any resort -- including Saratoga -- can be had either direct, or at a significant savings via the resale market.

You should research thoroughly to understand the difference between direct and resale, as well as the following terms:

• home resort booking
• banking
• borrowing
• use year
• annual dues

DVC is a long-term commitment with a significant up-front cost and annual costs thereafter. DVC points are best used to book DVC stays, even though Disney will push that you can use them elsewhere. The trades are rarely a good value, especially when done with points purchased direct in 2017. (The economics have changed over time.)

If you would take those vacations to Disney regardless and have the disposable income to make the purchase work, it can be a great way to help combat the inflation of deluxe resort stays. If you're happy at Value resorts, don't travel to Disney frequently, or simply cannot make the booking commitments of 11 months/7 months, you may find it not to be a fit.

 

[Cyberc1978]

I can add that when you are reading up on DVC that you home resort does matter if you plan to travel during sep-early Jan. If you plan to travel outside this timeframe home resort does not matter just as much.

So what does that mean then, it means that during sep-early Jan you most likely will have to stay at you home resort don’t expect to be able to book anything else when then 7 month window opens. The DVC salesmen/guides might tell you otherwise DONT believe them. This at least goes for studios and 2br they book the fastest. You might have better luck with 1Br as they normally book last. However at SSR & OKW you most likely will find some or more availability during the 7 month booking window, that’s because a lot of owners don’t find those resorts just as attractive as the rest.

Another thing to have in mind is that with new resorts being build/added the competition during the 7 month window will increase.

If you expect to pool your points with friends you can absolutely do that but have in mind that it does come with some restrictions/limitations.

So I’d recommend that you do a lot of reading here on DIS and ask all the questions you may have.

 

[disneynutz]

Don't let the pixie dust cloud your judgement, take your time, learn about the pros and cons, decide on which resort is your favorite and buy there.

Bill

 

[ReagentGrade]

Another thing to have in mind is that with new resorts being build/added the competition during the 7 month window will increase.

Noobee here!

I'm wondering about the quoted statement; others have said the same thing.

I understand why this would be true for "popular" resorts, but I can't figure out why it would be true for all resorts.

My thinking is: they build or convert a new resort and sell it out. Presumably there's enough room at that resort for everyone who bought. (Unless they oversell - can they do that?) When some of these owners use their points at other resorts, it opens availability at the new resort.

A popular resort is much more "book up" by owners at 8-11 months. Owners of other resorts quickly grab anything left at months. Shouldn't this make less popular resorts easier to book at seven months? Why would more resorts change this?

What am I missing?

 

[disneynutz]

MK resorts and Epcot resorts tend to be the most popular. People who bought other resorts tend to fight for the availability starting at 7 months. Once the more popular resorts are booked, the other resorts start filling up. Available rooms at 60 days prior to check in can be passed to Disney for cash guests. The more people added to the system when new resorts are built only increases the competition and increases the total inventory. The increased popularity of renting and rental brokers has decreased the number of expired points each year which also increases the number of rooms booked.

Bill

 

[_auroraborealis_]

My thinking is: they build or convert a new resort and sell it out. Presumably there's enough room at that resort for everyone who bought. (Unless they oversell - can they do that?) When some of these owners use their points at other resorts, it opens availability at the new resort.

Couple of issues.

1. Depending on the new resort, legacy owners or other recent buyers (at other resorts, either direct or resale) may not be interested. This has been a thing with Saratoga, as an example. There are a lot of owners (including Saratoga owners) who will tell you they have no interest in staying at SSR.

2. Many buyers of the new resorts are not especially knowledgeable about the DVC system. Some buy where they buy because it's what the guide sold them, it's what they were told on a cruise was available, etc. Guides push the "live" resorts. A lot of these new buyers buy in having been told about how they can "always" change at 7 months, and try all the resorts, but haven't been told about various of the issues in that (availability being key, seasonality, room type, etc.). Many learn the limits the hard way.

DVC cannot oversell. Every resort can be sold/owned up to the total points required to book every unit for all 365 days of a year. (This includes the points held/owned by Disney). However, the sales do assume 365 day occupancy, and do not/cannot account for seasonality. We call it Fall Frenzy for a reason.

People shouldn't buy a new resort and assume they could get a studio at HHI in high summer at 7 months, or BWV Standard (except maybe a 1BR) ever. But they do.

 

[bumbershoot]

I understand why this would be true for "popular" resorts, but I can't figure out why it would be true for all resorts.

What is a popular resort? A resort is popular for reasons that work for the people booking it. For most visits I’m totally happy with OKW. Is that a popular one? For me, during extended family visits, yes.

But for my cousin trips over Princess weekend I have a different thought process. That said, I would move my popular resort reservation there right now if it popped up, because I messed up my wait list and have us moving twice with four nights booked. Ugh. Knew I should have asked for advice on the first time waitlisting.


There’s not room for every owner every week at a resort. Right now because I let three nights at bay lake, my home resort, go, I can’t get them back. So no there’s no room for me in late feb at my home resort even though I’m not going then. Might be space the following week but I’m not going then.

 

[ziravan]

It’s common knowledge that the near park resorts are more difficult to book these days.

So. Let’s say you bought SSR to sleep around, as it were. Knowing that especially during Fall Frenzy you might not have other options, you book your home resort at 11 months and see if anything’s available at 7.

If not, you’re booked.

As more people adopt this strategy, all the resorts will get tight before 7 month, not just the near park ones.

 

[Ben E N]

Stuidos also seem to be the most popular room type. As the new resorts build point-heavy accomodations like the bungalows and CC Cabins, it also increases demand for the studios in those resorts. CCV having so few studios only further pushes that demand. I would bet that there are a good 100,000 points, probably more, belonging to Poly owners who never want to stay in a bungalow. That's new competetion for other resorts at 7 months now.

 

[ziravan]

Stuidos also seem to be the most popular room type. As the new resorts build point-heavy accomodations like the bungalows and CC Cabins, it also increases demand for the studios in those resorts. CCV having so few studios only further pushes that demand. I would bet that there are a good 100,000 points, probably more, belonging to Poly owners who never want to stay in a bungalow. That's new competetion for other resorts at 7 months now.

Poly has roughly 4 million points. Roughly 3.5 million of those points are tied up in contracts of less than 250 points. 250 points are about the minimum necessary to routinely stay in the bungalows (by banking and borrowing, a 250 point contract can stay almost a week in bungalows every third year.)

 

[Ben E N]

Poly has roughly 4 million points. Roughly 3.5 million of those points are tied up in contracts of less than 250 points. 250 points are about the minimum necessary to routinely stay in the bungalows (by banking and borrowing, a 250 point contract can stay almost a week in bungalows every third year.)

Haha, so mathematically i was right! Hopefully I can get a studio there this summer before they all get sucked up right at the 11 month mark. This would the drive people to other studios and 1 BRs

 

[Roxyfire]

Haha, so mathematically i was right! Hopefully I can get a studio there this summer before they all get sucked up right at the 11 month mark. This would the drive people to other studios and 1 BRs

When I booked at the beginning of this month for June of 2018, the ones with full availability (that I was interested in) at 7 am central were Boardwalk Pool/Garden and Poly Standard. I don't think you'll have too much trouble but I wouldn't dawdle either. There's a ton of studios at the Polynesian but they're probably great rental or switch options at 7 months, especially if your home resort is a SSR or OKW.

 

[Wakey]

Here’s my take:

1. Travel Jan to Sept save for public holidays, you may get a studio elsewhere at 7 months, more probable some resorts than others.
2. Same travel period in a 1 bed, no problem. If you are a 1 bed person and travel these times buy a cheaper resort, spending more is wasting your money unless you have to get BLT standard or AKV value or club.
3. Travel Oct to 1st week Jan, in a studio, don’t expect to be able to book at 7 months.
4. This period will also be difficult in a 1 bed, but you may get lucky.
5. If you have to stay in a specific resort in this period, do the cost benefit analysis of spending more on an expensive resort.

 

[Ben E N]

When I booked at the beginning of this month for June of 2018, the ones with full availability (that I was interested in) at 7 am central were Boardwalk Pool/Garden and Poly Standard. I don't think you'll have too much trouble but I wouldn't dawdle either. There's a ton of studios at the Polynesian but they're probably great rental or switch options at 7 months, especially if your home resort is a SSR or OKW.

I have found that not dawdling with anything Disney is always the best way to save stress. It is worth it to wake up at 5 am 6 months before my trip begins in order to book the exact meals at the exact times that I want, and I am assuming that DVC bookings will be similar.

 

[Roxyfire]

I have found that not dawdling with anything Disney is always the best way to save stress. It is worth it to wake up at 5 am 6 months before my trip begins in order to book the exact meals at the exact times that I want, and I am assuming that DVC bookings will be similar.

That's the correct assessment, I think. Especially when it comes to DVC. If you know your travel dates, book as soon as you can because there's a whole lot of people out there renting points. The surcharges and price raises don't seem to be slowing things down. The only other thing I see as truly crucial to book right away are fastpasses and certain dining reservations. But the room is the most important part so no use in waiting unless you aren't sure of the dates.

 

[Melissa Perez]

Poly has roughly 4 million points. Roughly 3.5 million of those points are tied up in contracts of less than 250 points. 250 points are about the minimum necessary to routinely stay in the bungalows (by banking and borrowing, a 250 point contract can stay almost a week in bungalows every third year.)

fascinating! do you know where this data comes from?

 

[ziravan]

fascinating! do you know where this data comes from?

Me. I trudged through sales data (from http://www.occompt.com/ ) for 2 different months - one in Spring before the incentives and one in Fall after incentives began in 2016.

Bungalows represent 25% of Poly points but only about half of that amount, 12% of points, are tied into contracts of at least 250 points or more.

 

[Melissa Perez]

Me. I trudged through sales data (from http://www.occompt.com/ ) for 2 different months - one in Spring before the incentives and one in Fall after incentives began in 2016.

Bungalows represent 25% of Poly points but only about half of that amount, 12% of points, are tied into contracts of at least 250 points or more.

Amazing. I've been so curious about this!